Although long used in agricultural and commercial applications, pick-up trucks with open cargo beds have also become increasingly popular as personal and family vehicles. The commercial vehicle owner, although concerned with performance and cost effectiveness of the vehicle, often considers the vehicle as a traveling company advertisement or symbol. A neat and well-maintained vehicle is more likely to favorably impress customers. Owners of personal vehicles, while concerned with functionality and efficiency, are also concerned with pride of ownership, personal image, and outward appearances. In addition, the automotive enthusiast desires to maintain his vehicle in as close to a "like new" condition as possible.
Truck bed liners of plastic or rubber are commonly employed to protect the painted metal surfaces of a pick-up truck cargo bed. These truck bed liners are available in a wide variety of configurations to suit the wide variety of available trucks. Bed liners protect the cargo bed from scratching and denting as well as paint fading from exposure to sunlight and elements. One-piece thermoformed thermoplastic truck bed liners provide a cost effective means of protecting the truck cargo bed. To retain the somewhat flexible bed liner in place within the cargo bed however, conventional bed liners require a plurality of fasteners extending between the bed liner and the rigid metal truck box. In some cases, bed liners require that fastener receiving holes be drilled into the sheet metal of the truck box.
Other truck bed liners make use of inwardly facing gaps beneath the truck box side rails for the insertion of expansion fasteners which may be securely engaged with the side rails without penetrating the steel surfaces. However, some makes of trucks have no inwardly facing gaps. A truck bed liner that eliminates the need for auxiliary fasteners would be highly desirable.
A truck bed liner which could be rapidly installed with a minimum of additional fasteners by an unskilled installer could be sold at reduced cost.
What is needed is a truck bed liner which may be securely installed on the pick-up truck box without piercing the vehicle sheet metal and with a minimum of additional fasteners.